Most first-time visitors to the Izu Islands stop at Oshima, the closest and easiest one to reach from Tokyo. That’s a mistake if what you actually want is a white-sand surf beach, a free open-air hot spring carved into volcanic rock, and islands quiet enough that you’ll share the road with more goats than cars. Niijima and Shikinejima, two small islands a short boat ride apart, are where Tokyo surfers and onsen hunters actually go. Neither is a day trip in the strict sense — you need at least one overnight — but both are closer and more doable than most visitors assume.
Why Niijima and Shikinejima Instead of Oshima
Niijima is known for two things: Habushiura Beach, a 6.5km stretch of sand considered one of the best surf breaks in Japan, and Yunohama Onsen, a free, 24-hour open-air bath built into a Greek-columned platform above the sea. Shikinejima, connected to Niijima by a 10-15 minute local ferry, is smaller and wilder — its signature spot, Jinata Onsen, is a natural hot spring inside a narrow volcanic gorge that only becomes safely soakable at low tide. Both islands also have a quirky claim to fame: the moyai stone statues scattered across Niijima are the same style as the famous Moyai statue outside Shibuya Station, which was literally gifted to Tokyo by the island in 1980.
Getting There: Ferries, Jet Boats, and the Chofu Flight
All routes start from Tokyo. Tokai Kisen runs the options:
- Overnight large ferry from Takeshiba Pier (near Hamamatsucho) — departs around 10-11pm, arrives at Niijima roughly 8-9am. Second-class (shared floor) fare is about ¥6,500-7,500 one way depending on season; private cabins cost more. This is the budget option and the only one that reliably runs in rough weather.
- Jetfoil (high-speed boat) — a daytime option, roughly 2.5-3 hours to Niijima, around ¥11,000-13,000 one way. It’s seasonal and far more prone to cancellation in wind, so build in a buffer day if you’re booking this for a tight schedule.
- Flight from Chofu Airport — New Central Airservice flies small propeller planes from Chofu (in western Tokyo, reachable by train) to Niijima in about 45 minutes, for roughly ¥17,000-19,000 one way. It’s the fastest option but seats are limited and luggage allowance is tight, so pack light.
Whichever you choose, book ahead for July-August weekends — capacity on all three is small, and ferries do get fully booked.
Yunohama Onsen: Niijima’s Free 24-Hour Rotenburo
Yunohama Onsen sits right on the coast on Niijima’s west side, a short walk from the main port and village. It’s free, unmanned, and open around the clock, with multiple stone-and-column baths at different temperatures facing the sunset over the sea — it’s genuinely one of the most photogenic onsen in Japan. The catch: it’s mixed-gender (konyoku), so you need a yugi, a loose cotton wrap for bathing modestly, rather than going nude or in a regular swimsuit. Yugi aren’t sold on-site; pick one up in advance from a shop near the port or ask your accommodation, where they’re often lent for free or a small deposit. There are basic changing areas but no lockers, so don’t bring valuables. Evening and night are the best times — fewer people, cooler air, and the baths lit by lantern-style lighting.
Jinata Onsen: Shikinejima’s Tide-Dependent Hot Spring Gorge
Jinata Onsen is the reason serious onsen fans make the extra trip to Shikinejima. It’s a natural hot spring bubbling up where a volcanic fissure meets the ocean, reachable via a 20-30 minute walk from Shikinejima’s port along a marked trail. There’s no building, no staff, no fee — just rock pools inside a dramatic narrow canyon. The critical thing to know: it’s only usable around low tide. At high tide the pools are submerged or get hit by waves, and conditions change by the day, so check a tide chart (available at the port tourist office or online) before you walk out. Go early morning for the best chance of calm water and fewer people. Wear a swimsuit (mixed bathing again), bring water shoes or sturdy sandals since the rocks are sharp and slippery, and never go alone during rough surf — people have been swept off the rocks here. If Jinata is flooded, Shikinejima’s Ashitsuki Onsen is a calmer backup, also free.
Habushiura Beach and Surfing Niijima
Habushiura, on Niijima’s east coast, is a long, open-ocean beach break that draws surfers from across Japan and hosts domestic competitions. It’s rarely crowded by Tokyo-area standards, and the swell is consistent enough that even beginners can usually find a workable spot on one end of the beach. Surf shops near the beach rent boards and wetsuits for roughly ¥3,000-4,000 a day, and a couple offer lessons. Lifeguards and flag-marked swim zones operate in summer; outside peak season, swim and surf at your own risk since rescue response is slower than on the mainland. May through October is the main season for both swimmable water temperatures and reliable swell; winter surf exists but requires a thick wetsuit and local knowledge of the breaks.
Getting Between the Islands and Getting Around
A small local ferry (Shikinejima Kosen) shuttles between Niijima port and Shikinejima several times a day, taking about 10-15 minutes and costing around ¥500 one way — check the schedule at either port since it’s limited to a handful of daily sailings, not a continuous shuttle. On Niijima itself, there’s no train and bus service is sparse, so almost everyone rents a bicycle or scooter from a shop near the port (roughly ¥1,000-2,000/day for a bike, more for a scooter); many minshuku also lend bikes free to guests. The island is long and flat-ish in the middle but hilly near the onsen, so an electric-assist bike is worth the extra cost if available.
Best Season, Budget, and Common Mistakes
Peak season is July-August, when accommodation books out and the ferries run fullest; shoulder months (May-June, September-October) offer good weather with far fewer crowds and easier bookings. For sleeping, budget travelers can camp near Habushiura for free or stay in a minshuku guesthouse with two meals for around ¥6,000-9,000 a night; mid-range pensions run ¥10,000-15,000; a handful of newer boutique stays with sea-view rooms or private baths push past ¥20,000. Bring cash — many shops, minshuku, and even some ferry ticket counters don’t take cards, and there’s no convenience-store-level ATM density here. The most common mistakes: treating this as a Tokyo day trip (it isn’t, unless you fly both ways and the weather cooperates), skipping the tide check for Jinata Onsen, forgetting a yugi for Yunohama, and not booking ferry or flight seats early enough in summer. If you’d rather pair this with another slow-paced island escape later in your trip, Megijima and Ogijima near Takamatsu offer a similar laid-back, ferry-hop feel on the other side of Japan. And if the islands end up weathered out, Tokyo still has solid last-minute day-trip alternatives inland, like the Oyama Afuri Shrine hike or a Hakone run using the Fuji Hakone Pass or Hakone Free Pass.